Heat and cold applicator



J y 1946. M.. MODLINSKI HEAT AND COLD APPLI CATOR Filed Aug. 3,

1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l M/Cf/A E1. M001. "vote/v July 9, .1946.

MJMQDLINSKI v 2,403,676 HEA'TYAND COLD APPpIcAToR I F iled Au 5, 1944 Ia Sheets-Sheet 2 .112 53 7 24 59 M1 can EL MOQL /N 8K7 July 9, 1946, M.MODLINSKI HEAT AND COLD APPLICQTOR Filed Aug. 3, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3fects.

Patented July 9, 1946 UNITED "STATES" PATENT OFFICE HEAT AND COLDAPPLICATOR Michael Modlinski, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 3,:1944, Serial No. 547,906

. 1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to a heat and cold ap plicator, and moreparticularly to a device for applying a heat unit such as a hot waterbottle, ice pack, or electric heating pad, to the portion of the bodywhere it is desired to apply heat or cold, and for retaining the hot, orcold application at that portion of the body regardless of movementthereof. 1

It has been a common difiiculty to apply hot water bottles or other heatunits to the body of a sick or hurt person with sufilcient security toretain the same in place, since even very slight movements of the bodywill cause the heat unit to move to a location where it is ineffectiveor even positively harmful. In many case's 'moreover, even when the heatunit can be satisfactorily maintained in place, it is necessary; for-thepatient to assume and maintain an uncomfortable and strained position.Furthermore, in the case of an ambulatory patient, it is necessary tolie or sit quietly during the period of application of the heat unit,often causing inconvenience and fretting or other undesirable emotionalef- A busy hospital nurse may apply a hot water bottle to 'a patient,only to find upon completion of her rounds that it' became dislodgedimmediately after she left the patient and that no benefit has beengained therefrom.

The present invention overcomes these difliculties, enabling heat orcold to be applied to any portion of the body desired, and maintained atthat portion regardless of the position or movements of the patient.

An additional feature of this invention is that it permits multiplyingthe heating or cooling units applied to any particular portion of thepatients body, thereby increasing the heating or coolingcffect andprolonging the effective period of the hot orcold application, as wellas permitting variation in the quantity of heat or :cold applied. Y

It is an object ofthisinvention to provide a heat or cold applicatorwhich will hold a heat unit in desired relation to a selected portion ofthe human body.

It is another object/of this invention to provide a heat or coldapplicator accommodating heat units in different portions thereof tohold a unit 7 at a desired portion of the body. g

It is a further object of this invention toipro ble heat unit carrierwhich may be secured in.

various. positions on the applicator, so. that a videa heator coldapplicator having a detachai It is an additional object of thisinvention to provide a heat orcold applicator for selectively producinga desired heat effect on the body, the applicator being so secured tothe body as to prevent shifting of the heat effect from the portionbeing treated. I

Still-another object of the invention. is to provide a. heat or coldapplicator so constructed that .one or more heat units may be applied tothe same or different portions of the body.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a heat or coldapplicator'having a detachable carrier for heat units which may beseparately applied to portions of the body.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will beapparent to those skilled in theart-from the following description andthe appended drawings.

On the drawings: v

Figurel is a rear elevational view of the applicator of this invention;

Figure 2 isa rear elevational view, with parts broken, of the heat unitcarrier;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the carrier;

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the applicator, with the carriersecured thereto in one relation;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the carrier'inanother relation; 7 V

Figured is a viewsimilar to Figures 4 and 5, but showing the carrier in'still another relation on the applicator;

Figure '7 isa cross-sectional view, with the carrier in elevation, takenon the line VII--VII of Figure 4=; I

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, the line VIII- VIII of Figureb;

Figure 9 is a view'similar to Figures .7 and 8, but

showing the carrier twice folded; Figure 10 is ahorizontalcross-sectional View taken on Figure 14 is anillustration ofone modification of this invention.

The invention is illustrated as utilizing a hot water bottle or bag, oran ice pack or bag, as the unit by means of which heat or cold isapplied to the body, but it will be understood that the invention is notlimited to such means, and that electrical heating units controlled byselective switching means may be employed in this invention. Suchelectrical units might be integral with the carrier, or might beseparate electrical heating pads. The means for heating or cooling thebody are referred to herein asheat units, as a matter of convenience.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, an applicator 23 isprovided in the form of a coatlike garment or jacket having arm holes2|, and

if desired, pockets 22. On the rear of the applicator 23 are providedfastener elements secured to the applicator at various portions thereofand hereinafter described. These fastener elements are shown asseparable slide fasteners, commonly known as zippers, but it will beunderstood that other fasteners may be used, such as buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, snap fasteners, tying tapes and the like.

Such fastener elements 23:: and 23b may be secured to the front edges ofthe applicator to close the same when it is being worn. A fastenerelement 24 is disposed adjacent the neck portion extending between thearm holes 2|, and another fastener element 25 is secured centrally ofthe lower portion of the applicator 20 and substantially parallel to theelement 24. Extending vertically at the center of the applicator isanother fastener element 25, and spaced at each side thereof and at aslight angle thereto so as to extend substantially parallel to the frontedges of the applicator 20 are two parallel fastener elements 2! and 23,and 29 and 33.

A carrier 3| is provided to hold or carry the Both the carrier 3| andtheappliheat units. cator 23 are made of any suitable material, and areshown as made of fabric. 'At each side edge of the carrier 3| there issecured a flap 32 with bottom edge of the cover member 340 is secured tothe carrier in a separable manner, as by a fastener 33' The pocket 35 issimilar to the pockets 34 and 34a, but is formed by two cover members35a and a third cover member 35b. Each cover member 3560 issubstantially. half the width of the carrier 3|, and the cover member351) isof substantially the same width as the carrier. The upper edgeand the side edges of the member 35b are securedto the carrier, and theouter and lower edges of each cover member 350. are also secured to thecarrier. The inner or adjacent edges of the cover member 3511 areseparably secured together by a fastener 31, and the upper edge of eachmember 35a is secured to the adjacent portion of the lower edge of thecover member 3517 by a fastener 38. It will be obvious that if desiredthe pockets 34 and 34a may be constructed in the same manner as thepocket 35, and further that the pockets may each be formed as twopockets, each of half the size of the pockets shown.

The carrier is provided with a fastener element 33 at its upper edge,and another fastener element 43 at its bottom edge. A fastener element4| is secured to one side edge of the carrier, and another fastenerelement 42 is secured to the other side edge. Afastener element 43 isalso provided extending across the carrier and spaced substantiallyone-third of the lerigth of the carrier from the top thereof, so as tolie substantially between the two upper pockets 34 and 34a. Adjacent thetop of the carrier 3| another fastener element 44 is secured extendingsubstantially across the carrier.

.- Reinforcing strips or tapes 4'! extend longitudinally of the carrier,with a clasp, buckle, or the like 48 held in a loop at one end of eachtape 41, and with the other end of each tape left free to form a portion49 which may be secured in the clasp, buckle or thelike 48. Anothersecuring tape 5|! may be secured across the Width of the carrier 3|,with a central portion thereof left free or unsecured so as to form aconvenient loop or handle 5| for holding the carrier 3|. The carrier mayalso have a loop 52 atone corner thereof, as at the upper left-handcorner as shown in Figure 2, or the upper right-hand corner as shown inFigure 3.

A heat unit 53 is disposed in any of the pockets 34,3411, or 35, or heatunits are disposed in two or moreof the pockets. In Figure 2, a singleheatunit 53 is shown in the upper pockets 34 and 3411, this heat unitbeing of a size and shape to substantially fill the pockets. 53arefshownin the lower pocket 35, each being of a size and shape tosubstantially fill one-half of the pocket. It will be obvious that othersizes, I

shapes, and'kinds of heat units may be used instead of the particularJunits'illustrated, so long as they" may be securely. retainedinthepockets. Figures 11 and 12 also illustrate the carrier with the heatunits disposed in'the pockets, and Fig ures 7 to 9 show the carrier invarious arrange- --,be inserted in the pocket orpockets of the carriersoas to overlie a particular portion of the general area of the body Itshould also be clear that the'carrie'r may belfolded upon itself one ormore timeszalong the lines of division between the pockets, andmaintained in the folded posh- As shown in Figure 3, there is secured onthe Two heat units ments 25 and 45. If heat orcold isnt'obe' appliedv tothe portion of the back between-the shoulders, a heat unit is insertedin the upper. pocket 34, and

the other pockets may be'left empty. Similarly,

if heat or cold is to be applied to the smallof the back, or tothelowerportion of the back, a

heat unitis insertedinthe pocket 34d orthe pocket '35, respectively. fcourse, if heat or cold is to be applied to the'entire b'ack,heat unitsare insertedin all of the pockets. 4

As shown i'nJFigures 5,-8 andS, the heat units applied to a particularportion of the bodymay be doubled. ontripled' by folding the carrier 3|with the heat units in each of the pockets thereof. Thus, if it isdesiredto apply more heat or cold to the small of the back than can besupplied by heat units in the pocket 34a, the carrier may be folded onthe line between the pocket 34a and the pocket 35, and the fastenerelements 49 and 43 interengaged to hold the heat unit or units in thepocket 35 superimposed on the unit or units in the pocket 34a. The upperpocket 34 may or may not have a heat unit or'units inserted therein,depending upon whether a heat effect at the upper portion of the back isdesired or not. Again, if an unusually concentrated heat effect isdesired at a portion of the body, such as at the upper portion of theback, heat units may be inserted in all of the pockets and the carrierfirst folded to the position shown in Figures 5 and 8 andalready'described. The carrier is then further folded on the linebetween the pockets 34 and 34a, with the fastener element 46interengaged with the fastener element 44,'so that the carrier will bein the position illustrated in Figure 9. The fastener elements and 45,'of course, are disengaged to permit the second fold. It will be obviousthat if only a double instead of a triple application of heat or cold isdesired at the upper portion of the back, one of the pockets is leftempty, so that although the carrier 3| is folded twice there will beonly two and notthree heat units superimposed on each other.

In Figures 6 and 10 there is illustrated another position in which thecarrier 3| may be secured to the applicator 29, as when a side of thetorso is to have heat or cold applied thereto. Assuming that a heateffect is to be produced on the left side of the torso, the fastenerelement 44 of the carrier 3| is interengaged with the fastener element26 of the applicator 29, the fastener elements 48 and 43 of the carrierbeing interengaged as described in connection with Figures 5 and 8, andthe fastener element 46 on the carrier is interengaged with the fastenerelement 30 on the applicator. Heat units may be inserted in the pocketsas desired, depending upon the particular portion of the body where aheat effect is desired, and upon how great a heat effect is desired. Ifthe heat effect is to be produced on the right side, the carrier may befolded as before, and secured to the applicator by means of the fastenerelements 26 and 44, and the fastener element 45 on the carrier theninterengages with the fastener element 28 on the applicator.

It will be understood that the carrier is secured on the outside or backof the applicator, and the applicator then donned by the patient-withthebody and applicator andsecured in front by interengagement of thefastener elements 33 'on the free edges'thereof. For the sake ofclearn'ess, the flap have been illustrated only in Figure 2', since thestructure and operation thereof are readily understood from thedescription. When the carrier 3| is so positionedthat the flaps 32 arenot engageable'about the body, the flaps may be readily disposed soasnot to interfere with the engagement of the fastening lements or thefolding of the carrier.

The securing of the carrier 3| to the applicator 29 with the pocketsopening at the face of the carrier away from the applicator 20, as inthe position illustrated in Figure 4 and in other'positions, allowsready access to the pockets for .quick and convenient substitution offresh heat units for units which have lost their effectiveness, withoutrequiring removal of the applicator or otherwise unduly disturbing thepatient.

It will also be understood that the carrier and applicator may be madeproportionately longer otherwise than as shown and described, and thatadditional fastener elements may be provided, as

may be desired, and thecarrier secured in other relations to theapplicator than those shown and described.

The carrier 3| may be used separately to ap- 7 ply heat or cold to alimb. In this case, the carrier is folded and. the fastener elements 40and. 43 interengaged, and the carrier then applied about the limb andsecured thereon by interengaging the fastener elements and 46. Figure 13illustrates the carrier applied in this manner to an arm. The carriermight, of course, be similarly applied to a leg. In the case of a leg,the

carrier when folded as described might be too small to permitinterengagement of the fastener elements 44 and 46. In that event, thecarrier may be secured about the leg by interengaging the free portions49 of the reinforcing tapes 4'! with the clasps, buckles, or the like 48carried by the ends of the tapes 41. In the latter case, also, it mightbe desirable to wrap the carrier about the leg without any foldingthereof. In any case, of course, heat units are carried by the pocketsof the carrier as desired.

As shown in Figure 14, the applicator 20 may have a hood portion 54secured thereto in order that a heat effect may be produced on the heador neck of the patient. If desired, the hood 54 may be separate from theapplicator 20, and used as an entirely independent unit, or be adaptedto be detachably secured to the applicator 20. The hood 54 has a slit inthe top thereof extending from the face opening to the rear of the hood,which slit may be closed by a fastener 55. On each side of the slit apocket 56 is formed in the hood 54 in which may be inserted a heat unit53. The pocket 56 may be formed in any suitable manner, as by theprovision of a piece of fabric secured to the inside of the hood with afree edge adjacent the slit so as to provide an opening through whichthe heat unit 53 may be inserted when the slit is opened by means of thefastener 55. The pocket 56 may extend downwardly about the neck portionof the hood so that heat units may be applied about the neck of thepatient.

If desired fastener elements for the carrier may be duplicated on thefront and rear of the jacket or applicator, so that two carrier unitsmay be used simultaneously or one may be applied either front or rearwithout removing the jacket.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted herein otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claim.

I claim as my invention:

An applicator jacket comprising a coat-like garment arranged to be wornby a patient, a plurality of fasteners on the outside of the garment, aflexible panel, fastening means on said panel for coacting with thefasteners on the garment to selectively attach the panel across anexterior portion of the garment,'said panel having a plurality ofpockets for thermal treatment means, said pockets opening on the outerface of the panel, fasteners accessible from the outer face of the panelfor closing the pockets, said panel, upon release from the garment ofcertain of the fastening means, being foldable at one end thereof toprovide a plurality of plies each containing one or more pockets andthereby to create a localized stack of pockets on the garment, and meansfor securing the panel in the desired multi-ply folded orm.

MICHAEL MODLINSKI.

